Steph Curry Sends Strong Message to Ex-Warriors Teammate After Revenge Game
Stephen Curry was caught somewhere between admiration and frustration on Thursday night.
The Golden State Warriors superstar could only shake his head — and later laugh — after his former locker room neighbor,
Rollins, who was part of the trade package that sent
Rollins Outshines Curry in Career Night
Seizing the spotlight with the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sidelines, Rollins delivered the game of his life — hitting 13 of 21 shots, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, while adding eight assists and three rebounds.
But his biggest statement came on the defensive end, where he hounded Curry for much of the night. The two-time MVP finished with 27 points on 8-of-19 shooting and committed five turnovers, two of which came directly against Rollins’ pressure.
“Watching him on film before tonight, you see he’s being very calculated on how to use his speed and create space and get downhill,” Curry said of Rollins, per The Athletic
From Locker Neighbors to Rivals
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rollins’ relationship with Curry made the duel personal. The 23-year-old guard spent his rookie season sitting beside Curry in the Warriors’ locker room, learning the ropes from the four-time champion.
“That’s my guy, man,” Rollins said after the win. “He was my locker neighbor my first year. My first year was very fast for me, so he was a great, down-to-earth dude. Him being Steph Curry, him just being so humble and how he talked to me — that was very humbling.”
After the game, Rollins received a signed Curry jersey, which he said he plans to frame and hang on his wall — a memento from the night he both honored and outplayed his mentor.
Tempers Flare After Hard Contact
The competitive fire between the two teams boiled over in the fourth quarter when Rollins collided with Curry while defending a drive. The contact drew a heated reaction from
“I think I bumped Steph, that’s why Draymond did what he did,” Rollins said. “I didn’t expect nothing different, I kind of liked it. It just turns me up a little bit more.”
Rollins channeled that energy into closing out the game strong, scoring 13 points in the final period to bury the Warriors’ comeback hopes.
Kerr: Rollins ‘Was Fantastic Tonight’
Golden State coach Steve Kerr credited Rollins’ pace and poise for dismantling their defense.
“Well, his speed gave us a lot of trouble,” Kerr said. “He got past us — penetration, either scored at the rim or kicked it to shooters. He was fantastic tonight. Just played a great game.”
Warriors’ Regret
Rollins’ breakout performance was a gut punch for a Warriors team still searching for backcourt consistency beyond Curry. While Milwaukee proved it can win without Antetokounmpo, Rollins may have proved something even bigger — that Golden State gave up too soon.
What started as a sentimental reunion turned into a revenge game for the ages — one that left Curry smiling, but still a little “pissed off.”
J.J. McCarthy to start for Vikings at quarterback vs. Lions
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For the first time since mid-September, young quarterback J.J. McCarthy will start for the Minnesota Vikings. His high-ankle sprain is healed. His lower-body mechanics have been troubleshot. He’ll be under center Sunday and at the controls when the team matches up with the Lions in Detroit.
“I feel like myself again,” McCarthy said earlier this week. “I feel like I have those mobility things (fixed) that I was concerned about going into last week and prior weeks.”
McCarthy suffered the injury in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. The team’s medical staff cleared him to return to play, though his accuracy waned down the stretch of the game. The following afternoon, head coach Kevin O’Connell informed reporters that McCarthy would be sidelined due to the injury.
Minnesota did not place McCarthy on injured reserve, opting instead to avoid setting a definitive timeline for his return. He traveled with the team for its two-week stint in Europe, where the Vikings played the Steelers in Dublin and the Browns in London. The Vikings planned for him to first practice in London, but the weather and field conditions delayed his activity. During the ensuing bye week, O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown observed workouts. Footwork and eye placement were the focuses. McCarthy was not unloading the ball quickly enough in his first two games, and O’Connell believed that removing excess movement in his lower half would allow McCarthy to play more on time.
O’Connell has deemed McCarthy as “an accurate passer.” This weekend’s contest will put that skill to the test. The Lions don’t run from playing man coverage. They’ve used it at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL, according to TruMedia. That type of coverage can test tight-window throws, which offensive coordinator Wes Phillips discussed Thursday.
“We’re going to have to make some accurate passes,” Phillips said, “and protection-wise, (we’re going to have to make sure) we’re in the right calls.”
No segment of the Vikings has disappointed more than the team’s front. Injuries have played a role. According to Next Gen Stats, the Vikings have played 12 unique offensive line combinations at least 10 snaps together, which is three more than the next closest team. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who is now more than a year removed from a torn ACL and MCL, only played nine snaps last week in Los Angeles. He’s questionable for Sunday, as is right tackle Brian O’Neill, who missed last week’s game with soreness in his left knee. With left guard Donovan Jackson and right guard Will Fries both in the fold, the Vikings could have the most advantageous offensive line that they’ve had since the beginning of the season.
